Ignition device for gas burners



July 3, 1928. 1,675,859

C. E. METHUDY IGNITION DEVICE FOR GAS BURNERS Filed July 23, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l C an/ET Mef/zua" July 3; 1928.

C. E. METHUDY IGNITION DEVICE FOR GAS BURNERS Filed July 23, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL E. METHUDY, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, IO

ALVIN I). GOLDMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR GAS BURNEBS.

Application filed July 28,

This invention relates to ignition devices for gas burners, and has special reference to means under control of the valves for the respective burners to open the valve controlling the supply of gas to a pilot light automatically and as an incident to opening of any one of the burner valves.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means under control of the valves for the respective burners of a gas stove and the like for opening the valve controlling the passage of gas to a pilot light receiving a constant supply of gas, so as to permit a sufiicientamount of gas to pass to the pilot light to cause flashes to ignite the gas issuing from any of the burners of the stove.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for restoring the pilot light valve to its initial adjustment after it has been opened to ignite the burners as aforesaid.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being made to the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of my invention applied to a gas stove.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the device, the gas burners being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

My invention is shown embodied in a gas stove having a cluster of grid burners 1, and an oven burner 2. The grid burners are supplied with gas through pipes 3 from a manifold 4, and the oven burner 2 is supplied with gas from the manifold 4 through a pipe 5. Horizontal valves 6 of familiar construction control the passage of gas from the manifold 4 to the pipes 3 and 5. The stems 7 of these valves extend forwardly through holes in a valve cover plate 7 From the manifold 4 a pipe 8 leads to a pilot light 9 arranged to ignite gas issuing from any of the burners 1 when the pilot light is caused to flash by opening its valve 10 beyond its normal slightly open adjustment. For the oven burner 2 a branch pipe 11 extends from the pipe 8 to a pilot light flash igniter 12 so as to ignite gas issuing from the oven burner.

The valves 6 are of the rotary type and their stems 7 extend inwardly and terminate in alinement and each has a pairof spaced collars 15 attached thereto. A resilient arm 16 is secured to each valve stem between the 1927. Serial No. 207,882.

collars 15 and has a rounded corner 17 at its outer end.

An actuator for opening the pilot light by providing the same with slots 20 through which the screws 19 extend. This slide 18 is normally retained in its starting position and is restored to, such position after each operation by a spring 21 having one end attached to a projection '22 from a slide 18 and the opposite end attached to a projection 23 from one of the screws 19.

For each of the arms 16 the slide 18 is formed with a projection 24: which is abrupt on one edge and inclined on the other edge, the abrupt and inclined edges intersecting to form a sharp corner, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 2. When all of the valves 6 are' closed and the slide 18 is in its starting position, the rounded edges 17 .of the respective arms 16 are close to or in contact with the abrupt shoulders of the rejections 24; so that, when any one of the urner valves is opened, the rounded edge 17 of its arm 16 will rub against the abrupt shoulder of the projection 24, thereby moving the slide 18 longitudinally in opposition to the spring 21, and this longitudinal movement is sufiicient to open the valve 10 to permit gas to pass to the pilot light and cause a flash that will ignite the gas issuing from the burner.

The valve 10 is of the familiar push valve type, being pushed in a direction away from the slide 18 in order to open the valve 10 beyond its normal adjustment in which only a small amount of gas is permitted to pass to the pilot light 9. For thus opening the valve 10 beyond its normal adjustment a cam 25 is provided in connection with the slide 18 so that, when any of the valves for the respective burners is opened as aforesaid, the cam 25 will operate against the extremity 26 of the stem of the valve 10 and push said valve 10 in a direction to permit an increased supply of gas to enter the pipe 8 and pass to the respective pilot lights 9 and 12.

When all of the burner valves are closed the slide 18 is yieldingly held in its starting position by the spring 21. In such closed positions of the burner valves and starting position of the slide 18 the arms 16 have their rounded edges 17 near the abrupt shoulders of the projections 24. Turnin movement of any of the valvesfi from close to open position causes its arm 16 to move the slide 18 longitudinally, such movement being sufficient to cause the cam 25 to push the pilot light valve 10 to open position a sufficient distance to cause the pilot light 9 to flash and ignite the gas issuing from the burner, the valve ofwhich was open.

The relationship of the parts is such that it is unnecessary to move any of the burner valves entirely open before the slide 18 will be returned to its starting position. This is because the arms 16 pass or escape from the projections 24: before the burner valves are entirely opened, but after the pilot light valve 10 has been opened. This escapement of the arms 16 from the projections 24 is obtained by properly proportionin said parts by providing the rounded shoulders 17 on the arms 16 and by making the arms 16 and the slide 18 resilient so that they may bend laterally from each other when the cam 25 encounters resistance by the valve 10. Thus restoration of the valve 10 to its proper adjustment after the pilot light has been flashed, so as to permit only a small amount of gas to pass to the pilot light in order to keep it ignited, is assured.

From the foregoing it is apparent that my invention obtains all of its intended objects and purposes in a highly efiicient and satisfactory manner; that it may be economically manufactured and mounted initially as an original part of a gas stove, or thereafter as an addition to a gas stove. The construction may be varied within equivalent limits without departure from the nature and principle of the appended claims.

I claim a 1. An ignition device comprising a gas burner to be ignited, a valve controlling the passage of gas to said. burner, a flashing pilot light, a valve controlling the passage of gas to said pilot light, a sliding actuator for said pilot light valve, means operated by said first-named valve for releasably engaging and moving said actuator horizontally in one direction, and means in connection with 'said actuator for releasably engaging and opening said pilot light valve when said actuator is moved by said first valve.

2. An ignition device for a gas burner comprising a valve controlling passage of gas to said burner, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing through said burner, a valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light, a longitudinally movable actuator, means supported by said first-named valve for guiding said actuator in its movements, means in connection with said first valve for releasably engaging and moving said actuator, and a device in connection with said said pilot light valve by said actuator.

4. An ignition device for an oven gas burner comprising a valve controlling admission of gas to said burner, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burner, a valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light, a longtiudinally movable actuator, supports on which said actuator is mounted for longitudinal movements to and from a starting position, means operated by said first valve for moving said actuator from its starting position, and a device in connection with said actuator for opening said pilot light valve when said actuator is moved by said first valve as aforesaid.

5. An ignition device for an oven gas burner comprising a valve movable from closed to open position to admit gas to said burner, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burner, a valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light, an actuator movable longitudinally from and to a starting position, means yieldably holding said actuator in starting position, means for moving said actuator longitudinally from its starting position when said first valve is opened to permit gas to pass to said burner, and means operated by said actuator for opening said pilot light valve when said first valve is opened as aforesaid.

6. An ignition device for a number of gas burners comprising valves movable from closed position to open position to permit gas to pass to said burners, respectively, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burners, a valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light, a longitudinally movable actuator, a spring yielclingly holding said actuator in and acting to move said-actuator to said starting position after operation, supports on which said actuator is mounted for longitudinal movements from and to its starting position, and means operated by each of said first valves for moving said actuator from its starting position to open said pilot light valve when either of said first valves is opened.

7. An ignition device for a number of gas burners comprising valves movable from closed position to open position to permit gas to pass to said burners, respectively, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burners, a valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light, a longitudinally movable actuator, a spring yieldingly holding said actuator in and acting to move said actuator to said starting position after operation, supports on which said actuator is mounted for longitudinal movements from and to its starting position, and means operated by each of said first valves for moving said actuator from its starting position to open said pilot light valve when either of said first valves is opened and acting to permit said actuator to return to its starting position While either of said first valves remains open.

8. The combination with a gas burner, and a rotary valve controlling passage of gas to said but, r, of a flashing pilot light for igniting-gas issuing from said burner, ,a longitudinally movable valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light, a longi- .-tudinally movable actuator, means for supporting said actuator for longitudinal movements from and to a starting position, means operated by said actuator for moving said {pilot light valve longitudinally to open position as an incident to moving said actuator from its said starting position, and

means operated by said first-named valve for moving said actuator from its starting position as an incident to opening said firstnamed valve.

9. The combination with a gas burner. and

a. rotary valve .controlling passage of gas to said burner, of a flashing pilot light'for igniting gas issuing from said burner, a

longitudinally movable valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light, a longitudinally movable actuator, means for sup-' porting said actuator for longitudinal move- ;0 ment-s from and to a starting position, means operatedby said actuator for moving said pilot light valve longitudinally to open position as an incident to moving said actuator from its said starting position, means operated by said first-named valve for moving said actuator from its starting position as an incident to opening said first-named valve and releasing said actuator during movement of said first-named valve to open position. and means for returning said actuator to its starting position while said firstnamed valve remains open.

10. An ignition device for a number of gas burners comprising rotary valves for 5 controlling passage of gas to said burners, re-

spectively, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burners, a valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light,

an actuator supported by said first-named valves for longitudinal movements from and to a starting position, means for moving said actuator from its starting position by said first-named valves, respectively, when said first-named valves are turned to open 05 position, and means operated by said actuator for opening said pilot light valve as an incident to moving said actuator from its starting position.

11. An ignition device for a number of gas burners comprising rotary valves for controlling passage of gas to said burners, respectively, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burners, a valve controlling passage of gas to said pilot light, an actuator supported by said first-named valves for longitudinal movements from and to a starting position, means for moving said actuator from its starting position by said first-named valves, respectively, when said first-named valves are turned to open position, means operated by said actuator for opening said pilot light valve as an incident to moving said actuator from its starting position, and means for moving said actuator to its starting position while any ofsaid first-named valves remains open.

12. An ignition device for a number of gas burners comprising valves controlling admission of gas to said burners, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burners, a longitudinally movable actuator, devices in connection with said firstnamed valves for supporting said actuator for longitudinal movements and guiding said actuator in such movements, means for operating said actuator by said first-named valves, and means controlled by said actuator for opening said pilot light valve.

13. An ignition device for gas burners comprising a gas manifold, valves controlling passage of gas from said manifold to said burners, respectively, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burners a valve controlling passage of gas from said manifold to said pilot light, a longitudinally movable actuator, means in connection with said first-named valves for supporting and guiding said actuator in its longitudinal movements, means under control of said actuator leaving said pilot light valve in position to permit a relatively small amount of gas to pass to said pilot light and operating said pilot light valve to admit an additional amount of gas to said pilot light to cause said pilot light to flash to ignite gas issuing from said burners, and means operated by said first-named valves for moving said actuator to cause said pilot light valve to permit gas to pass to said pilot light to flash as aforesaid.

14. An ignition device for gas burners comprising a gas manifold, valves controlling passage of gas from said manifold to said burners, respectively, a flashing pilot light for igniting gas issuing from said burners, a valve controlling passage of gas from said manifold to said pilot light, a longitudinally movable actuator, means in connection with said first-named valves for supporting and guiding said actuator in its f longitudinal movements, means under conissuing from said burners, means operated trol of said actuator leaving said pilot light by said first-named valves for moving said valve in position to permit a relatively small actuator to cause said pilot light valve to 1 amount of gas to pass to said pilot light and permit gas to pass to saidpilot light to flash 5 operating said pilot light valve to admit an as aforesaid, and means for restoring said additional amount of gas to said pilot light actuator to its initial startin position. to cause said pilot light to flash to ignite gas CARL E. ETHUDY. 

